1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a control method of a printer, a printer, and a printer set, and relates more specifically to a control method of a printer, a printer, and a printer set that enable a non-technical user to quickly and appropriately set printer information such as the IP address and printing conditions in a printer.
2. Related Art
Printers (network printers) that communicate with a host computer using a network address such as an IP address are known from the literature.
When one printer of this type (referred to below as the original printer) is replaced with another printer (referred to below as the replacement printer) (such as when a malfunctioning printer is replaced with a separate, normally operating printer), printer information, such as the IP address of the original printer, must be transferred to the replacement printer.
However, because some degree of technical knowledge or a dedicated computer is required to set the printer information (configuration) in the replacement printer, it is difficult for a non-technical user (such as a store employee) to quickly and accurately set the printer information in the replacement printer when the printer is installed in a supermarket in which a POS system is deployed, for example.
To solve this problem, JP-A-2011-164872 proposes reading the printer information from a USB memory stick or other external memory device and setting the printer information read from the external memory device in the replacement printer when an original printer is replaced.
While the method of JP-A-2011-164872 enables setting the printer information in the replacement printer relatively easily, the following problems persist.
First, an external memory device must be prepared whenever a printer is replaced. Second, managing the external memory devices is difficult, and preparing an external memory device accurately storing the printer information that should be set in the replacement printer is time-consuming. Third, the external memory device may mistakenly be prepared with printer information other than the printer information that should be set in the replacement printer, resulting in the wrong printer information being set in the replacement printer. Fourth, such external memory devices are easily lost.
A non-technical user may therefore not be able to quickly configure the replacement printer with the correct printer information.